Aggressive Running Proves Costly Again

The Angels were burned on the basepath for the second time in a week Saturday when pinch-runner Orlando Palmeiro, attempting to go from first to third on Jim Edmonds’ single with no outs in the eighth inning of a 3-3 game, was thrown out by Milwaukee left fielder Jeromy Burnitz.

Last Sunday in Chicago, Edmonds made the last out of the seventh inning when he tried to go from first to third on Dave Hollins’ single to center. The score was tied, 2-2, at the time, and the Angels eventually lost, 4-2.

There’s an old saying in baseball: You don’t make the first or last out of an inning at third base. The Angels have done both in seven days.

“Was it a mistake? Yeah,” Manager Terry Collins said of Palmeiro’s daring dash Saturday. “In that situation you have to make sure you can make it.”

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For years, Jason Dickson’s father has been telling his son the difference between a good pitcher and an average pitcher is that good pitchers win on days they don’t have their best stuff.

Dickson (5-1) didn’t win Saturday, but the Angel rookie right-hander showed he’s a pretty good pitcher, thriving--and surviving--despite not having much of a curveball against the Brewers.

Dickson gave up nine hits and struck out one, a season low, but Milwaukee managed only three runs off him, the last two coming on Cirillo’s two-run single off reliever Mike James in the seventh inning.

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Reliever Mike Holtz continues to star in his limited role--retiring left-handed batters late in the game. Holtz replaced James with two out in the ninth inning and retired Dave Nilsson on a soft liner to second base, lowering his earned-run average to 0.77 in 15 appearances. . . . Garret Anderson had reached base safely in six consecutive plate appearances before striking out in the third inning. . . . The Brewers are a major league-best 8-1 in one-run games.

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TODAY’S GAME

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY (0-2, 5.79 ERA) vs. BREWERS’ BEN McDONALD (3-2, 4.53 ERA)

County Stadium, Milwaukee, 11 a.m.

Radio--KTZN (710).

* UPDATE: Finley is still looking for his first victory after two subpar starts and two in which he pitched well enough to win. The left-hander was charged with six runs in 6 2/3 innings against Baltimore on Tuesday, but three of those scored when Pep Harris replaced Finley and gave up a grand slam to Cal Ripken Jr. McDonald has an 11-4 record and 2.42 earned-run average against the Angels, but has experienced shoulder problems and has struggled in his last three starts, giving up 18 runs and 24 hits in 16 2/3 innings.